Now there are two versions of 3ds Max in the market. Announced on Wednesday, 13 February 2008 at Autodesk’s annual Press Days in San Francisco. Autodesk announced two new versions of 3ds Max (modeling, animation and rendering software). The company launched Autodesk 3ds Max 2009 software, and introduced Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2009software, a well tailored 3D application for architects, designers and visualization specialists. Both versions of the software offer new rendering capabilities, improved interoperability with industry-standard products including Revit, as well as additional time-saving animation and mapping workflow tools. 3ds Max Design 2009 further provides Exposure Lighting Analysis technology. A number of features were demonstrated at the press launch.
If you work primarily in entertainment and require the SDK (Software Developement Kit) which allows to make own plugins, choose 3ds Max 2009. 3ds Max has all the features of 3ds Max Design except for the new Exposure Lighting Analysis tool for assisting in LEED 8.1 certification. If you work primarily in the architecture, civil engineering, or manufacturing sectors, and you do not need to create your own plug-ins using the SDK, choose 3ds Max Design. It has all the features of 3ds Max 2009 except for the SDK, and it includes the new Exposure Lighting Analysis tool as a main menu.
The new version was introduced with feature highlights that include the new Reveal rendering toolset, which streamlines iterative workflows; and the ProMaterials material library for simulating real-world surfaces. The release also delivers numerous biped enhancements and new UV editing tools. Improved OBJ and Autodesk FBX (FBX is a 3d data exchange format of Autodesk Inc.)file formats import and export vastly enhance interoperability with Autodesk Mudbox, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk MotionBuilder, Autodesk Revit software programs and other third-party applications. In addition, Recognize, a new scene-loading technology, significantly improves the inter-application workflow with Revit Architecture 2009.
3ds Max Design 2009 includes all features offered in Autodesk 3ds Max 2009, with the exception of the Software Development Kit (SDK). The SDK is a set of development tools used in the entertainment markets to integrate software into a production pipeline and develop in-house tools to be used in conjunction with the application. 3ds Max Design also includes Exposure Lighting Analysis technology for simulating and analyzing sun, sky, and artificial lighting to assist with LEED 8.1 certification.
Autodesk will release these updated and new applications in the northern Spring with a retail price of US$3,495. An upgrade from the present version, to either 3ds Max 2009 or 3ds Max 2009 Design will be US$895.
Thanks
Abdulkarim Salahuddin
Application Engineer
